Best track in the world? Bathurst?

[Michael H]

Is Bathurst the best track in the world?

[racer69]

One of the best, one of the three best current tracks, along with Spa and Le Mans. Nurburgring, which i know is used now, but not often enough to really count is the all time best, followed closely by the old Brno, then Bathurst (without the chase), then the 3 i mentioned.

[mac]

Originally posted by racer69
then Bathurst (without the chase), then the 3 i mentioned.

I reckon Bathurst is better with the chase. That kink, flat out at 280km/h is awesome. And it gives another passing spot. I only wish more international drivers would come to race.

Also, what is the best track in the UK?

Brands is good, but difficult to pass on.

In my opinion, Donington and Thruxton would seem to be the two best. Thruxton is the perfect example of a simple track on paper being an absolute pearler to race on. It has fast and slow corners, flowing and non-flowing, a long straight, Church corner over the back, and two really good places to pass.

[Marshal]

Thruxton is good, but my favourie UK track Oulton Park, particularly before they put in the Chicane at Kinickerbrook. Its just a pity its so far away.

I'm told Cadwell is fantastic, but I've never been there so I really couldn't say.

[Ray Bell]

Bathurst is certainly hard to beat, but even in Australia there has been one circuit that was better... and markedly so.

But the elevation changes, those fabulous downhill esses, the overbearing aura of the place... pretty good stuff!

[Michael H]

ray bell, which circuit was better than Bathurst?

[DNQ]

Bathurst is great, but there are plenty of tracks that are just as good, for example Hockenheim, Spa, Elkhart Lake, Monza etc

[DNQ]

Oops, forgot to mention Oulton Park - never been there, but great in GP2!

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Michael H
ray bell, which circuit was better than Bathurst?

You haven't been to Lobethal, have you?

Nobody who has ever has to ask that question....

DNQ... I would agree that the original Spa and Nurburgring, and there was Pescara and a couple of others, but not many, were better than Bathurst. Would have to say that Elkhart Lake is a little in the shade...

[Speedworx]

Best track in the world......................

Spa, Suzuka, Road America, Laguna Seca, Le Mans.

Take your pick.

[JMeissner]

lol! gocart tracks folks... The old Nürburgring Nordschleife beats them all, atleast in my eyes

[Ray Bell]

Ever notice how many don't read the thread before they post?

Just get over saying Elkhart Lake pales in comparison and it gets another guernsey... you'd think I'd be asked "why?"

Not a soul asks about Lobethal...

[Michael H]

tell us about Lobethal, Ray Bell!

[DNQ]

I am certainly not Ray Bell, but I will try and answer the question about Lobethal for you, Michael. According to http://www.silhouet.com/motorsport, Lobethal was:

Located east of Adelaide and first used in 1938 as a 8.65 mile circuit, Lobethal hosted hillclimbs in 1936 and 1937. From the start, the track went over a hump-backed drink followed by a curve, roughly following the railway and the Onkaparinga River along a flat road which was flat out for 3.5 miles to Kayannie Corner.

Kayannie Corner was a 60 degree corner leading to a gentle downhill river crossing and a climb to a brow of a hill overlooking Lobethal itself. From here the track followed a series of downhill esses which led into town after a final left hand bend. The road then dropped away as the T-junction with the main street was reached. The circuit then climbed again, with a dip towards the end of the shopping centre before swinging right and beginning three miles of ups and downs and blind brows towards the finishing line.

The final meeting here was held on New Years Day, 1948.

[Ray Bell]

Thank you, DNQ... and there is so much more!

I went back there at New Years this year and took photos of the whole circuit. It's only when you see Lobethal that you start to understand...



Now just look at this bit... imagine coming over this little brow at 120mph and how far off the ground you MG would be when you wanted to turn into this corner...

Here's the car I speak of, the winner of the race in 1939:



And there's so much more... but you can't understand till you've driven a lap.

[Hobson]

Cadwell park is simply amazing. I was lucky enough to get a ride around it in a safety car and even at road speeds (40-50mph), you get thrown around. I'll find some pics of the mountain.

[Michael H]

What about Macau? It has to up there with bathurst. Paul Morris reckons Macau is better than Bathurst.

[Ray Bell]

I have never seen a great deal on this circuit, but perhaps that opinion is based on the away-from-home atmosphere, the Monaco of the East surroundings and a pretty good circuit?

[DAVID PATERSON]

I believe Bathurst and Spa would rank among the greats but DNQ, what are Monza and Hochkenheim doing in this thread? Good tracks for sure, but hardly great.

Ray, did you see any racing at Lobethal or have you only been there since it closed? Am i right in assuming it was a public road, closed only for meetings, ala Bathurst and Monaco?

I really enjoyed Oulton Park on Toca 2 but haven't seen it on GP2.

I don't follow CART or NASCAR, so i'm simply unaware of the American circuits.

[JTBK]

Best: Spa, Monza, Brands GP

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by DAVID PATERSON
Ray, did you see any racing at Lobethal or have you only been there since it closed? Am i right in assuming it was a public road, closed only for meetings, ala Bathurst and Monaco?

I'm not that old! Last race was before I turned 18 months!

But I've been around it a number of times, like a pilgrimage every time I go to Adelaide. Yes, 8.65 miles of public roads winding through the rolling hills and through the towns...



The extraordinary thing was that the twistiest bit, because of its uphill and downhill nature, was the fastest for cars without really powerful engines...





Note the interesting change of camber on the exit to that one...

Allan Tomlinson explained the reason I couldn't understand the quick lap times... 91.5mph in 1939... it had defied me because of the number of places they would have to back off going over crests because their wheels needed to be on the ground to turn the corners hidden by those crests...

"What we did was turn the car before we got airborne..."

The land of the brave... do a lap and then tell me there's something better! It is being created on GPL, by the way, but it's a long way off...

[Crash Test]

Laguna Seca? From talking to some guys who have raced there, it really is a one corner track...

[DNQ]

Originally posted by DAVID PATERSON
I believe Bathurst and Spa would rank among the greats but DNQ, what are Monza and Hochkenheim doing in this thread? Good tracks for sure, but hardly great.

Sure, I was merely listing tracks I feel are as good as Bathurst in my own opinon. I realise Hockenheim and Monza aren't great, but I sure feel they have enough character and history to be classed as good as Bathurst. For trully great tracks, I'd say the old Nurburgring, Spa, Reims, Bathurst, Oulton Park, Cadwell Park etc

Originally posted by DAVID PATERSON
I really enjoyed Oulton Park on Toca 2 but haven't seen it on GP2.

I have Oulton Park for GP2, so David, try GrandPrix2.com, I believe they have what you're looking for.

[Ray Bell]

GP 2 doesn't have Lobethal, so the folks who play it won't find any impression of it that way. It does have Berne, though, and that is another one that ranks highly.

Pescara is yet another... there is a website for it, something like coppaacerba.com... or try a search engine for Coppa Acerba... a brilliant site with the history of the circuit from the twenties (or was it early thirties?) through to about 1960... pictures and stories in Italian and English.

But I do direct you back to Lobethal... nobody who has seen it (in my experience, anyway) has ever thought of Bathurst as being as good. Nobody!

It's in another class altogether, like the old Nurburgring and the old Spa.









This is the flat out bit along the railway towards Charleston... reckon that bridge would be interesting? Well, just imagine with spectators sitting on the edge of the road through there? This was 130mph for Tomlinson.. a bit more for Kleinig and Barrett, faster still for Saywell with the P3 Alfa.

The were...